


self-care

by quantumducky



Category: Sanders Sides (Web Series)
Genre: Comfort No Hurt, Couch Cuddles, Fluff, Gen, M/M, this is unbearably soft
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-23
Updated: 2019-07-23
Packaged: 2020-07-12 07:54:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 845
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19942756
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/quantumducky/pseuds/quantumducky
Summary: After a long day, Thomas sits down to relax with Netflix, a pile of blankets, and Virgil.





	self-care

**Author's Note:**

> why does all the thvi i write turn into soft sleepy cuddles? I Don't Know But It's Good And I'm Not Stopping

There’s a certain routine Thomas uses to help himself wind down after a stressful day. Whether he’s concerned with something as big as an important audition or as small as tripping over his words while trying to order food doesn’t matter; as soon as it’s over, he has a date with his couch, some blankets, maybe a pizza, and the first thing he sees on Netflix that won’t require more than 30% of his brainpower. He used to think of it as a way to, however temporarily, get rid of his anxiety. Now, he knows better- Anxiety, Virgil, needs it possibly even more than he does, and he’s always invited.

He appears as Thomas is settling in on the couch. It doesn’t scare him anymore when Virgil does that- now, it feels more like the same “ripping off a band-aid” strategy he used to tell everyone his name. If he appears all at once instead of rising through the floor, there’s no chance he’ll overthink and talk himself out of it halfway up. He’s nervous, fidgeting with one of the zippers on his jacket and clearly struggling not to blurt out all his negative thoughts at once, and Thomas lifts up the blankets and pats the space next to him. He can feel how tense the side is once he sits down.

“Everyone thinks you’re an idiot and everything is ruined forever,” Virgil finally mutters, unable to stop himself. He’s all but buried himself in blankets, and shoves his face under as well at Thomas’s wince. He didn’t  _ want _ to upset him. They’re supposed to be relaxing, he knows, but he can’t just  _ stop. _

Thomas takes a deep breath. “I know it feels like that,” he says, trying not to imply anything along the lines of  _ you’re overreacting, _ “but there’s nothing I can do about it right now, so let’s find something to watch.”

He slowly reappears. “… _ Parks and Rec? _ ”

They start a random episode, and Thomas eats his pizza. Virgil doesn’t, because days like this make him lose his appetite and, anyway, he doesn’t need to, not being real. Slowly, they both start to relax.

After a few episodes- he hasn’t been paying quite enough attention to know the exact number- Thomas looks over to check on the anxious side, and realizes Virgil’s head is leaning on his shoulder, and the rest of him against Thomas’s side. He hits pause, thinking Virgil is asleep, but at the cessation of noise he looks up with a soft “hm?”

Something feels delicate, here. Thomas keeps his voice low as he says, “Hey there. Wasn’t sure if you were still awake.”

Virgil nods slowly. He looks up at Thomas, eyes only half-open. “S’okay? This?” It takes Thomas a moment to figure out he means the “using him as a pillow” situation.

“Yeah, of course. But if you’re this tired, maybe we should stop here and-”

“No.” Virgil’s fingers curl with hardly any input from his lagging brain, holding onto Thomas’s shirt in case he’s getting any ideas about standing up. “It’s… good here.”

Thomas smiles helplessly, a bit relieved Virgil isn’t looking at him to see it. It almost hurts his heart to feel this much fondness at once. “Okay, we’ll stay here.”

There’s a soft huff of “good” from where Virgil’s face is pressed against his shoulder.

“Want me to unpause it?”

A brief silence as the other processes the question. “…Yeah. But… quiet.”

“Alright.” He turns the volume down low before resuming the show. “That good?”

The only response he gets is Virgil shifting to make himself as comfortable as possible before going limp.

Thomas makes it to the end of that episode before feeling movement again. Virgil is slipping off his shoulder, losing a battle with gravity even though it shouldn’t technically have any effect on him. Thomas catches him as well as he can, but while it keeps him from being jolted awake, he’s not entirely sure what to do with him now. With a shrug and a muffled yawn, he lowers the sleeping side carefully onto his own legs and grabs a throw pillow for his head. 

Virgil wakes up a little at that- enough to open his eyes and blink once, very slowly, before closing them again- but Thomas doubts he’s fully conscious at any point. That’s why he’s confident that, in the morning, he’ll be safe from any embarrassed questioning about the gentle way he brushes Virgil’s hair back from his face, smiling when he leans into it in his sleep, pressing his face against Thomas’s palm. He tugs at the blankets until they’re adjusted perfectly to cover both of them and leans back, resigned to sleeping on the couch tonight. It’s not that bad of a fate, all things considered. For one thing, he feels very,  _ very _ relaxed.

“Night, Virge,” he sighs. There’s no response, not that he expected any. He closes his eyes and lets himself be lulled by the soft background noise of the TV, combing his hand through Virgil’s bangs until he joins him in sleep.


End file.
